


How Precious Life Is

by sauciemel



Series: David and Kay [3]
Category: British Actor RPF
Genre: F/M, Illnesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-06
Updated: 2014-05-06
Packaged: 2018-01-23 20:25:37
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1578407
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sauciemel/pseuds/sauciemel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Life is good for David, Kay and the kids but when David starts to feel under the weather, he goes to the doctors…the results are not good.</p>
            </blockquote>





	How Precious Life Is

**Author's Note:**

> Part 3 of a 3 Part Story
> 
> Sequel to Life is Good

David heard the sound of a baby crying through the baby monitor, he opened his eyes. He looked over at the clock. 6.37am. He sat up, he looked at Kay’s sleeping form next to him and he smiled. He eased himself out of the bed and across to the nursery.

He slowly opened the door. The night light was still on; he walked across and peeked into the cribs. Oscar was still asleep, Jessica was the one crying. He scooped her up.

“What’s wrong with my wee lassie eh?” he gently rocked her as he moved over to the changing area. He unconsciously hummed and a tune.

\---

Kay woke up when she felt David get out the bed. She rubbed her eyes and sat up. Then she listened as she heard David over the monitor.

\---

David changed his little girl’s nappy and then sat down in the rocking chair with her and sang an old Scottish hymn.

\---

Kay smiled as she heard David sing, she reached over and turned the monitor off and headed to the kitchen.

\---

Jessica soon drifted back off to sleep, so David gently placed her back in the crib. Then he headed to the kitchen.

\---

Kay heard David opening the kitchen door; she turned and held out the cup of black coffee.

“Thank you, I didn’t know you were up?”

“A lovely man’s voice woke me.”

David arched his eyebrow.

“I heard you humming then singing.” Kay sipped at her tea.

“Ah right.”

“So you excited for today?”

“Me excited, it should be you. I mean you wrote it.”

“I know, but ….”

“Hey no buts it will be brilliant, they loved the script and will love the finished article.”

“I know, it’s just that so many people will be there, what if it is a flop and it causes a bad dent in your career.”

“Kay McDonald, that is just nerves talking, it is your first script to be made into a drama. Hey, it will be fantastic. I mean would the BBC have commissioned the new spin off if you weren’t much good?”

“True, I’m just being silly, it’s….”

“Hey I feel like that with every new project.”

“Really?”

“Yup, I worry if I made the right choices”

“David you have a good mind and I don’t think you could make a bad choice.”

“Oh everyone makes them, I mean I turned down a few roles and they turned out to big things.”

“Wow. I didn’t know that.”

“Not many people do, I mean Rex didn’t get picked up and I loved filming the pilot, and that Detective show may come to nothing.”

“Ok, right I think we should get some breakfast as no doubt the twins will be waking up for theirs soon.”

\---

**That Night**

The Nanny arrived. A few moments later, there was a knock at the door. David answered it and it was his driver Alan. “Hey you two ready?”

“Yeah let me just get the missus.” David grinned 

“Oi I’ll missus you.” Kay smiled back.

\---

The car pulled up at the small building, there was no mad rush outside. They headed into the building and were then taken into a room.

“Good luck, not that you need it.” David said to Kay and kissed her.

\---

Then 2 years passed in a blur, Secret Smile 2 and 3 had been aired and were a brilliant success. The Doctor Who Movie was also a roaring success. They were on to the second series of **_THE ADVENTURES OF ROSE AND JOHN_** , Doctor who was onto Series 8 with Benedict still at the helm. The twins were bounding around the new house.

David and Kay had decided to move closer to the sea, they bought a small house. They still had the place in London as their main home. But in the summer and at weekends they were at the small house on the south coast of England, near Cornwall.

David was sat on a deck chair watching Jessica playing with the sand. Oscar was down at the water with his mum. He smiled, everything was perfect in his life, his career was going great, he had a woman he adored and two children he would die for.

Then David felt the pain in his head. He had been headaches for a few weeks now. He hadn’t told Kay, he knew she would tell him to go to the Doctor. But it was only because of his workload, which would ease off for a bit. They had this weekend away and then David had one week’s filming left to do, then he had 7 months off.

\---

All too soon, the weekend came to an end. They drove to the house in London.

David brought the cases from the car. He had an hour before he had to hit the road and drive to Cardiff. 

Kay watched her husband, he looked tired. “David” Kay said as she closed the door to the twins’ room.

David turned and looked at his wife. “Yes.”

“You feeling ok?”

“Fine, why?”

“Just you look… tired?”

“Been a busy few months, but one more week to go and I am free and all yours for 7 months.”

“Good, your Dad is coming down with Karen and Blair at the weekend.”

“I know, can’t wait to see them”

“As long as you’re feeling ok?”

“I am fit and healthy Kay now stop worrying will you.” David winked.

“Right I suppose I better get that lot into the washer” Kay pointed to the cases.

David helped Kay take the dirty clothes out of the cases, and then he hauled them upstairs. He winced a little when he was in their room. He had felt bad for not telling Kay about the headaches, but it was only stress. He placed the cases under the bed and he grabbed a quick shower.

\---

Kay was sat on the floor in the living room when David came back down. He stood in the doorway and watched his family.

Kay felt David’s eyes burning into her. She turned and walked over to him. She wrapped her arms around his neck. David leant in and kissed her deep. “Kay, honey I have to go.” David broke the kiss.

“I know, I hate to see you leave.”

“I hate leaving, but I will be back in a week. Not the usual 2-3 weeks.”

“Yeah I know, you drive safely and ring me as soon as you get to the flat ok?”

“Yes” David did a mock salute. Then he moved to the twins. “Now you two listen to Daddy.” David sat with his back resting against the sofa. He picked Oscar up and Jessica crawled over to him. “You two have to be good for Mummy ok, Daddy loves you and will miss you loads.” he kissed and hugged them both.

“David, you need too….”

“I know,” David placed the twins back down. Then he grabbed hold of Kay and kissed her hard, his tongue searching her mouth like it was the first time he had kissed her. David broke the kiss, the both of them panting. 

“Wow” Kay panted; he always kissed her like that when he was going away for a while. 

“See you on Friday” he winked and grabbed his small holdall.

\---

The next few days passed quickly. David was on the TARDIS set, the old TARDIS set had been rebuilt Billie came over to David.

“David, are you ok, you look like….well you look like shit.”

David felt it too, the headaches had been getting worse, and he was popping pills like they were sweets. He just wanted to get today over with and curl up and sleep. “Just a headache Bill, am fine, now come on let’s get to work.”

“If you’re sure?”

“I am now come on work” David snapped at Billie and headed over to the console.

Now Billie was worried, David was very, very rarely snappy.

\---

Kay had dropped the twins off at Day Care. She was on her way to the publishers; she had the final draft of her new book. Then her mobile rang.

“Hello?”

_“Kay, hi it’s Bill.”_

“Billie hi, how’s the shoot going?”

_“Good, really good, erm can I ask you something, it is personal?”_

“Sure Billie you are practically family anyway.”

_“Is David ok?”_

“What do you mean?”

_“It’s just he looks like shit and is biting everybody’s head off on set today, including mine and Russell’s. I was just wondering if there was anything wrong.”_

“Not as far as I know, he was fine when he left on Monday, I could ask him?”

_“No, if you do that he might suss out that I rang you, it’s probably just with the end of the series, and we have had some long days and nights.”_

“Yeah that’s what it will be, but thanks for being concerned Billie, see you soon.”

_“Yeah and give Jessica and Oscar a hug from me and Winston”_

“I will Bye.”

_“Bye.”_

\---

They finished on the TARDIS set at 6.00pm David’s head was killing him now; he was sat in his trailer in his striped robe when there was a knock on the door. He eased himself up from the couch and opened it.

“Ok David, what the hell is up with you today?” Russell growled at him.

“Nothing, I just want to get ready and go if you don’t mind Russ.” David snarled at him, the pain in his head was getting worse now, he could see black spots in front of his eyes, and he just wanted to close the door and go to sleep, so he tried to shut the door.

“No you Don’t, David something is wrong, you are never like this at work, is something wrong at home, you can talk to me.” Russell pleaded.

David was felling strange now, he just wanted Russell to leave him alone. “Russell, everything is fine, nothing is wrong at home, I am just tired and have a headache now go bug someone else.”

“Ok, I will leave you for now, but I will be back in half an hour to drive you to the flat, you look like crap and you are not driving.”

“Ok, as long as you leave me now.” 

Russell let go of the door. 

David slammed it shut. He watched through the window as Russell walked away and then it happened David hit the deck like a ton of bricks.

\---

Kay was back at home with the twins, there was a knock on the door, and she got up and answered it.

“Hello Kay.”

“Sandy.” 

Sandy McDonald hugged his daughter in law.

“What you doing here, I thought you were coming on Saturday with Karen and Blair?”

“Change of plan, I fancied spending a little time with you and the twins before David comes home, if that’s ok?”

“It’s fine Sandy, you should have called I would have picked you up at the station.”

Sandy just smiled, “I wanted it to be a surprise.”

“It is that” Kay led the man she had come to call Dad into the lounge where the twins were playing.

\---

Russell looked at his watch, it was twenty minutes since he had left David, “Sod it am going over now.” he pushed the chair out and headed for David’s trailer.

He banged on the door, no answer, then he climbed up the steps and looked in, then he saw David sprawled on the floor. He pulled at the door but it was locked from the inside. “Shit” he shouted.

Then John came walking out of the make-up truck, “John, John go get the spare key now.”

“What’s up?”

“JOHN GO GET THE KEY.”

John heard the panic in his voice and ran to the reception to get the key. A few moments later, he was back by David’s trailer and handed Russell the key, “Phone 999 and tell them to get here now.” Russell then bounded into the trailer and John saw David out cold on the floor.

He rang 999.

\---

Kay was making Sandy a cuppa when she heard her mobile. She picked it up and saw it was Russell.

“Hello Russ, how is it all going?”

_“Kay, sit down.”_

“Why?”

_“Kay please sit down.”_

Kay pulled out a chair and sat in it. “Ok I am sat down.”

_“Ok, it’s David. He is in hospital.”_

Kay screamed, and then dropped the phone.

Sandy burst in and looked at Kay, he picked the phone up.

“Hello?”

_“Sandy is that you?”_

“Yes is that Russell?”

_“Yes sir, is Kay alright?”_

“In shock by the looks of it, what is wrong with David?”

_“I don’t know, we are at the hospital, Alan is on his way over to pick Kay up.”_

“Ok, I will look after the twins and Kay until he gets here.”

_“Ok Sandy I have to go now.”_

“Ok”

Sandy closed the phone and bent down in front of Kay.

Kay looked at him, “I’m sorry I just panicked.”

“It’s ok lassie, Alan is on his way over to collect you, I will watch the twins.”

“Thank you Dad, oh what will I do if I lose him?”

“Hey lassie it’s probably just exhaustion, he has been working non-stop for a long while now.”

“I know, and it’s all my fault.” Kay sobbed.

“How is it your fault?”

“I wrote the series and the two dramas.”

“Hey that’s not true, it would have been something else, it could have been abroad, but you kept him at home.”

“Did Russ say what had happened?”

“No”

Then came a knock on the door. “I’ll get it Kay; you go throw some stuff in a bag.” Sandy went to the door. He opened it. “Hello Alan”

“Mr McDonald.”

“Now how many times have I told you, it’s Sandy.”

“Sorry Sandy, is Mrs Tennant ready?”

“She is just getting some things together. Come on in.”

Alan followed Sandy into the lounge; Jessica and Oscar were watching TV. Then Kay came in, she went over to the twins, she kissed them both. “Dad, if they get too much just ring and I will come home.”

“No you won’t, I rang Karen and she and Blair are on their way down, you go to David.” Sandy hugged Kay.

Kay followed Alan to the car. Alan put the small holdall in the boot and then headed for the drive to Cardiff General.

\---

It was late when Alan pulled up in front of the hospital, Russell had rang Kay and told her that David was down getting a scan. As soon as Alan got to the door Kay was out of the car, Alan told her he would park up and wait, no matter how long it took.

Kay went to the reception “Hello I am looking for my husband.”

“Name?”

“David Tennant.”

The woman behind the glass looked up, “His friends are through their Mrs Tennant.” the woman pointed to a room.

“Thank you,” Kay turned and headed for the door. 

\---

Kay pushed it too; Russell, John and Billie were sat there. Billie was the first one up. “Oh Kay.” 

“Is he ok, what happened?”

“He was out cold on the floor of his trailer” Russell told her how he had been snappy at everyone and that he had said he had a headache.

Then the Doctor came in. “Mrs Tennant?”

“Yes?”

“Could I have a word in private?”

“It’s ok Doctor, these people are like family.”

“Ok, we have the results of the MRI and CAT scan, David has suffered a slight bleed on the brain, nothing too serious, it can be caused by a lot of things.”

“Will he be ok?”

“Well that wasn’t the only thing we found.”

Kay felt her legs wobbling. “What else did you find?”

“A tumour, on his brain.”

“Oh god no.” Kay felt her legs give way. “Doctor is it operable?”

“Yes, we are prepping him for surgery now, but he wants to see you.”

Kay looked up, “He’s awake?”

“Yes he asked for you as soon as he woke, we have told him what happened and about the tumour. Mr Tennant told us of the cancer history in his family so we will remove the tumour and test it to see if it is malignant or not.”

Kay’s whole body shook, she felt Billie hold her. “Can I see him now?”

“Yes. If you follow me.” The Doctor turned and left. Kay followed.

\---

The Doctor led Kay to the room, David was lay on a bed, and he looked so pale.

“David” her voice came out in a whisper.

“Kay.” the tears were falling, “Oh Kay I am so sorry, I should have told you…”

“I know but shhh you’re in the best place now.” Kay stroked his hair.

“What if it C….” David couldn’t say it. “I mean I saw how sick Mum was with it, I can’t let you and the twins….” David sobbed now.

“Shh, now let’s wait and see, it may not be Malignant.” Kay tried to calm David down.

“I know, have you told Dad yet?”

Kay shook her head. 

“Don’t tell him everything until we know for sure.”

“I won’t.” 

“Right they are ready for him now.”

“I love you Kay.” David reached up, pulled Kay to him, and kissed her like he had never kissed her before.

Kay was breathless when David ended the kiss, “I love you too David, I will be here for you when you wake up ok, I am not going anywhere.” 

David nodded and then he was wheeled away.

\---

Kay made her way back to the relative’s room. 

Billie looked at her, “How was he?”

“Scared shitless, but trying to hide it, he is so scared that its cancer, after what happened with him mum, he doesn’t want his Dad to know that it may be cancer.”

“Ok, well I have to go Kay”

“Thanks for staying Billie” Kay hugged her, and then John said he had to go too but would be back tomorrow.

“Use Alan to drop you off, he is in the car park.” 

Billie and John nodded.

Kay looked at Russell, “I am not going anywhere.”

“Didn’t think you would, I have to ring Sarah, we need to put a statement out, and he was due at a publicity shoot tomorrow.”

“Kay leave that to me, you should ring Sandy.”

Kay nodded, Russell left to ring Sarah and Kay took her mobile out,

\---

Karen and Blair had gotten there late; Karen had put the twins to bed.

Blair was sat with his father.

“Any news yet?”

“No, she would only have been at the hospital a short while.” 

“He strong Dad, I mean look at when he was born and then the appendicitis, he survived them?”

“I know, but I can’t help the feeling I have in the pit of my stomach Blair.”

Then the house phone rang.

Blair answered it.

“Hello?”

_“Blair, is that you?”_

“Kay, yes it’s me.”

_“Erm is Dad still awake?”_

“Yes, you want him?”

_“Yes please.”_

Blair placed his hand over the receiver, “Dad, its Kay.”

Sandy got up and took the phone from Blair.

“Kay, hello sweetheart, how is he? And how are you?”

_“I’m ok Dad, David…, well he is in surgery at the moment, he had a bleed on the brain and they are operating on him.”_

“Oh god, did they say how badly?”

_“Well he knows me, he was awake I spoke to him….”_

“Thank God for that.”

Then came the awkward silence, Kay hated keeping secrets.

“What else Kay?”

_“Pardon?”_

“I know there is something else I can sense it in your voice, tell me?”

_“I can’t, Dav….”_

“Never mind David just tell me please Kay,”

Kay swallowed, _“They found a tumour, that’s what they are operating on.”_

“Oh my poor boy, he thinks its Cancer doesn’t he?”

_“He is scared it is.”_

“Because of what happened to Helen”

_“Yes, but I told him not to worry until we know for sure.”_

“Good girl, but David is a born worrier like him Mother was.”

_“Please don’t tell anyone I told you, let David tell you.”_

“I will, now you go and get what rest you can.”

_“How are the twins?”_

“Fast asleep, they have been good as gold, now go rest.”

_“Ok Dad and you do the same.”_

\---

Kay lay across the chairs, Russell was sat on the other side, his feet up on the small table. Then the door opened.

“Mrs Tennant.” The Doctor shook her.

Kay opened her eyes. “Yes.”

“David is being taken through to the recovery room then up to ICU as a precaution.”

“Did you get it all out?”

“Yes, we got all the tumour out; we are waiting on the results of the test.”

“Can I see him?”

“Soon yes, but there is visiting times.”

“Could he have a private room?”

“Yes.”

“Then I could stay with him?”

“Yes as long as you wish in the private room.”

“Then arrange it please.”

“Ok, once we have a room for him I will come and get you”

“Ok, I will head off for a shower and some food; I will bring you some proper coffee and food.”

“Thanks Russell.”

\---

About an hour later the Doctor led Kay up to ICU and into a small room, there was a small camp bed in the corner, and an en-suite. She looked across at David; he had a huge bandage around his head. He looked even more pale. The heart monitor beeped, he had one of those clips on his left index finger. He had an oxygen tube on his nose.

“It looks a lot worse than it is, it is all a precaution, and he has had brain surgery.”

Kay nodded. 

“Just talk to him like normal, he can hear you.” The nurse urged her.

Kay went and sat in the chair by the bed. “H-hello you.” she held his hand gently. “You are going to get better David, I know you are, you are too stubborn to stay sick for too long.” Kay felt the tears welling up. 

“How long till he wakes up?”

“Oh didn’t the Doctor say, he is sedated, just to give his brain a little more time to recover from surgery and the bleed.”

“Is… will there be any damage?”

“I don’t think so, but it’s different for everyone.”

“Thank you,”

“You should try and get some sleep Mrs Tennant.”

“Please call me Kay.”

“Kay you should get some sleep.”

“I will try, his friend Russell will be coming back soon, you may need to tighten your security at the door, and you know what the press are like.”

“Yes, we have already taken care of that; there are a few paps downstairs. There has been a statement released, it’s in today’s paper.”

“Oh right.”

“I will leave you now try and get some rest.”

“How soon will we have the test results?”

“A few hours.”

“Ok.”

Kay rang Sandy, Blair answered Sandy was asleep; she told him that the op had gone well. Then she crawled onto the camp bed and tried to sleep.

\---

Kay awoke to the smell of coffee. She opened one eye. 

“Sorry I didn’t mean to wake you.”

Kay sat up.

Russell handed the coffee over to Kay.

“Thanks. What time is it?”

“A little after 10 am”

“Wow I must have slept a good few hours.”

“Good,” Russell handed Kay a small box of pastries.

She took the sugar one, and then reached for the one with icing on, and then she put it back down. “If he was awake, that would have been eaten by now.” 

Russell grinned. “Yeah, he loves the ones with icing on.” 

Kay then bit into hers.

They drank the coffee and ate the pastries. Then the Doctor appeared

“Good Morning Mrs Tennant.”

“Please call me Kay.”

“Kay, we have the results of the test.”

Kay felt her stomach jump into her throat, her heart trying to thump its way out of her chest. 

Russell held her hand.

“It is good and bad news.”

Kay gulped.

“The tumour was cancerous.”

Kay felt her stomach drop, and her knees buckle. “Oh god no”

“That is the bad news, the good news is, we also took some samples from the surrounding area, and there were no more cancerous cells. It looks like we have got it all. We will monitor David to make sure; he will need a checkup every 2-3 months.”

“You mean you got it all out, he won’t need any more treatment?”

“No not unless we find anything else in the checkups, he just needs to slow down for a while, let his brain heal, he has no brain damage, he may still have the odd headache for a while but that is natural with brain surgery. But he can’t drive for 6 months, and no working whatsoever for the same amount of time.”

“Oh he is going to love that.” Russell rolled his eyes.

“Well tough he will have to deal with it.”

“We will stop the sedation now, and hopefully in a few days we can transfer him to a hospital closer to home.”

“Thank you Doctor for everything.”

“It’s what we do,” then he turned and left.

“Russ, could you let John and Billie know, I need to ring Dad.”

\---

Sandy, Karen and Blair we watching the news.

**_‘In entertainment news, we have exclusive pictures of David Tennant being taken from BBC Cardiff studios in an ambulance yesterday. We have the following statement._ **

**_“DAVID TENNANT WAS TAKEN TO HOSPITAL IN THE EARLY EVENING YESTERDAY, WE WOULD APPRECIATE IF YOU WOULD LET THE FAMILY DEAL WITH THIS HEALTH SCARE AND RESPECT THEIR PRIVACY”_ **

**_That is all we have at the moment, now in other news.’_ **

“Da,” Jessica pointed at the screen

Sandy picked her up, “Yes little one that is your Da.” then the phone rang. Sandy placed Jessica back on the floor.

“Hello?”

_“Dad,”_

“Kay, any news.”

Kay couldn’t help it, the tears fell, _“Yes, good and bad?”_

“Ok, tell me.”

_“The tumour was cancerous, but they got it all, they don’t need to treat him. He has to have checkups.”_

“Thank God.”

_“Oh Dad I was so scared I was going to lose him, he has to stop working for 6 months and can’t drive.”_

“That will be hard for him, the work part. I will let Karen and Blair know.”

_“Thanks Dad, they are going to move him to a London hospital as soon as they can.”_

“Good, I can’t wait to see him and give him a big hug.”

 _“I think a few people will want to do that.”_ Kay then rang off

\---

**3 Months Later…**

David was sat in front of the TV. Oscar and Jessica were fighting over a Cyberman figure.

“Now, now you two, don’t fight.” David leant in and took the figure from them.

“Da.” Jessica looked at him and pouted.

“Now, none of that missy, it won’t work on me.”

David reached down into the small play box and pulled another Cyberman figure out. Then he handed one to Jessica and then one to Oscar. “There now, you have one each, now go play, mummy will be back soon.”

\---

**2 Years Later…**

David and Kay were sat in the Doctor’s office.

“Well, good news, there is no sign of the tumour growing and no cancerous cells. Another clean bill David. 

“Brilliant thank you.”

“How’s the bump Kay.”

“Doing fine. Kicking a lot, a think we have a footballer in here this time.”

\---

**10 Years Later…**

Kay and David are sitting in the audience.

Oscar had landed the role of Hamlet in the schools production; it was a short version of the play. 

David’s heart filled with pride as he watched his son on stage. “Wow, I think we have another actor in the making?”

“Me too,” 

David ran his hand through his hair, which was grey in parts now. 

The place erupted with applause at the end of the play. Oscar was given centre stage.

\---

**Another 10 years passed.**

David’s hair was all grey now, he wore it short like had done in St Trinians II.

David, Kay, Jessica and John were sat in the front row, Oscar had indeed become an actor, and a brilliant one, he had even gotten to play the Doctor in the final ever series of Doctor Who. Which had been such a proud moment for David. Then he had landed the role of Hamlet again. They had been so proud when he got the call saying Broadway wanted him to do Hamlet there, so that was the reason the whole family was there. 

Jessica was 6 months pregnant and happily married; John was on the books for a local football team. David had been given the all clear years ago. Kay was now one of the UK best-selling novelists and had a fair few TV Dramas under her belt. David was a producer now; he had done the odd TV and Film role in the past twenty odd years. 

After the play had ended, Oscar took to the stage.

“Thank you all, I would just like to say a few words, I want to thank my wonderful parents for giving me the best life I could ever wish for, I am so proud of them, and of my sister and brother. But there is one person who isn’t here, I wish he was, but I know he is looking down on us all. I just want to say Thanks Gramps. “

David and Kay felt the tears welling up.

“Yeah thanks Dad.”

“Come on lets go back stage.”

**_THE END_ **


End file.
